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Here’s the easiest Thanksgiving menu with easy recipes, tips and a make-ahead timeline for a stress-free holiday dinner that practically makes itself. You’ve got this!

collage of the easiest Thanksgiving recipes to make.

What Makes a Thanksgiving Menu Easy

An easy Thanksgiving dinner is just a few simple dishes that are super easy to make. This means no huge spread, less stress and easy clean-up with fewer dishes to wash.

I’ve rounded up some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes all in one place so you don’t need to stress about menu planning. I’m also sharing tips and a timeline for getting the food prepped and cooked on time.

The best part about this menu is you don’t need to make everything from scratch –store-bought items are allowed!

The Easiest Thanksgiving Menu at a Glance

  1. Crockpot turkey breast and gravy
  2. Sweet potato casserole with canned yams
  3. Stuffing — homemade or from a box
  4. Green beans or harvest salad
  5. Crockpot corn casserole — skip or warm up canned corn or frozen corn if you only have one slow cooker
  6. Cranberry fluff or canned cranberry sauce
  7. Rolls — crescent rolls or Hawaiian rolls or similar pre-made rolls
  8. Pumpkin pie dessert dip, eggnog pie or pumpkin cheesecake pie. All are no-bake desserts, so choose one or make them all!

The Easiest Turkey To Make

boneless crockpot turkey breast slices on plate.
5 from 5 votes

Crockpot Turkey Breast (boneless)

This simple crockpot turkey breast recipe is a foolproof way to cook a boneless turkey breast roast in the slow cooker. Tender, juicy and perfect for a small Thanksgiving dinner or as an easy main dish anytime!
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Sides that Make the Cut

sweet potato casserole made with canned yams and marshmallows on serving spoon.
5 from 11 votes

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

Make this easy sweet potato casserole recipe with canned yams and mini marshmallows in just 30 minutes. This classic Thanksgiving side dish is a delicious addition to any holiday meal!
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cranberry apple sausage stuffing on a serving spoon
5 from 6 votes

Cranberry Apple Sausage Stuffing

This Cranberry Apple Sausage Stuffing recipe is made with sourdough bread, tart apples, dried cranberries and savory sausage. This Thanksgiving stuffing is the perfect addition to your holiday meal!
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sauteed green with bacon and lemon on serving platter
5 from 6 votes

Easy Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon

Easy Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon made with fresh green beans sauteed until tender and topped with bacon is a light, healthy side dish perfect for holiday dinners or every day! 
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harvest salad recipe.
No ratings yet

Harvest Salad

This easy harvest salad recipe has roasted sweet potatoes, honey crisp apples, goat cheese and candied pecans in a tangy maple apple cider vinaigrette dressing.
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crock pot corn casserole with Jiffy Mix on a whit serving spoon.
5 from 5 votes

Crock Pot Corn Casserole

This easy Crockpot Corn Casserole recipe uses Jiffy Mix to make everyone’s favorite corn pudding even easier. A delicious holiday side dish and a great way to save oven space!
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cranberry fluff with cool whip and marshmallows.
5 from 1 vote

The Easiest Cranberry Fluff

This is the easiest cranberry fluff recipe ever! Just combine cranberry sauce, Cool Whip, crushed pineapple and mini marshmallows for an easy Thanksgiving side dish everyone loves.
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Easy No-Bake Dessert Options

no bake pumpkin cheesecake pie with graham cracker crust and whipped cream
5 from 11 votes

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

Easy No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie is a cross between a cheesecake and a no bake pumpkin pie. An easy recipe for the perfect fall dessert or Thanksgiving dessert everyone will love!
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5-minute pumpkin pie dip recipe
5 from 18 votes

5-Minute Pumpkin Pie Dip

You can make this pumpkin pie dip in just 5 minutes with Cool Whip and pumpkin puree. An easy no-bake recipe perfect for fall entertaining.
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slice of eggnog pie on a plate with cool whip
4.99 from 125 votes

Eggnog Pie

This easy no bake Eggnog Pie has won a permanent place on our Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert menus. It's light, fluffy and a family favorite!
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Make Ahead Timeline

Monday — Complete your shopping.

Tuesday — Place turkey in fridge to thaw. Also, place Cool Whip in the fridge for the desserts and fluff.

Wednesday — Prep the veggies. Make the dessert of your choice, and store in the fridge. Make the cranberry fluff, and refrigerate

Thanksgiving Day — Cook turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green beans and corn casserole (if making). Prepare salad, and assemble before serving.

Ways to Make Thanksgiving Dinner Easier

If you want to make this easy menu even easier, just open a jar of canned cranberry sauce and use a jar of turkey gravy or gravy packets. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this!

If you are having guests for Thanksgiving or hosting a Friends Giving, ask everyone to bring a dish!

About Meatloaf and Melodrama!

I’m Dee, the blogger, cookbook author, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

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